Home

Sell a Business

Indiana

Starke County

Selling a Business in Starke County

Starke County has 319 employer businesses, and 86% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

Get a Free Valuation

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Starke County by the numbers

319

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

86%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,218

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,394

EMPLOYMENT

$146 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

130

BUSINESSES WITH 5 TO 49 EMPLOYEES

U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024. Counts are employer establishments, meaning business locations with paid employees.

How Starke County compares

Starke County ranks 79th of 92 Indiana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 2.6% between 2018 and 2023.
Retail makes up 20% of employer businesses in Starke County, compared with 13% in Indiana.
130 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Starke County ranks 79th of 92 Indiana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 2.6% between 2018 and 2023.
Retail makes up 20% of employer businesses in Starke County, compared with 13% in Indiana.
130 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 65 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 48 employer businesses
Construction: 36 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 26 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 65 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 48 employer businesses
Construction: 36 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 26 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Starke County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, construction, accommodation and food service

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Barber Shops

Beauty & Personal Care

Day Spas

Beauty & Personal Care

Auto Parts

Automotive & Boat

Auto Repair

Automotive & Boat

Every kind of business we sell in Starke County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Starke County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Construction & Engineering

37 related employer businesses in Starke County.

General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Plumbing: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Landscaping: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Interior Finishing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

Restaurants & Food

28 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

18 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Collision Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Logistics & Transportation

14 related employer businesses in Starke County.

General Freight Trucking: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

12 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Gas Stations: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Retail Stores

11 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Financial & Professional Services

9 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Insurance Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Bars & Pubs: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Construction & Engineering

37 related employer businesses in Starke County.

General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Plumbing: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Landscaping: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Interior Finishing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

Restaurants & Food

28 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

18 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Collision Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Logistics & Transportation

14 related employer businesses in Starke County.

General Freight Trucking: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

12 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Gas Stations: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Retail Stores

11 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Financial & Professional Services

9 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Insurance Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Bars & Pubs: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Starke County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Starke County

Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Starke County. Contact us to talk about a sale.

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Starke County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Starke County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers. Many sales take six months or longer from the start of the process to closing.

How is a business valued in Starke County?

Valuation starts with the earnings the business produces for an owner, then adjusts for assets, size, industry and the terms a buyer is likely to accept. The result is a range, and the asking price is set inside it.

Is the sale confidential?

Buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they see the name of the business or its financial statements.

FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Starke County

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

Selling a Business in Starke County

Areas in Indiana

Starke County by the numbers

319

319

86%

86%

1,218

1,218

3,394

3,394

$146 million

$146 million

130

130

How Starke County compares

Industry mix

What sells in Starke County

Electronics & Repair

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Barber Shops

Day Spas

Auto Parts

Auto Repair

Every kind of business we sell in Starke County

Working with owners in Starke County

Questions owners in Starke County ask

Guides for owners in Starke County